Genesis 17-20
So, imagine the scene. Abraham comes out of his tent and tells everyone, “Gather around. I just finished speaking with the Lord. First of all, He gave me a new name. I’ll be going by ‘Abraham’ from now on, and please call my wife ‘Sarah’.”
Everybody says, “Well, congratulations! That’s pretty neat.”
Then Abraham, still laughing from the news that his 89-year-old wife will have a son, continues, “But guys, there’s something else. There’s this covenant, ya see?”
And all the men squirm and say, “Wait, what?! You’re kidding, right?”
The Bible is completely silent about how this 99-year-old man convinces everyone in his household to go along with this new sign of the covenant, but it has to rank as one of the greatest sales pitches — or sermons — of all time!
The most significant part of this conversation with God, though, is not the sign of the covenant but the son of the covenant: Isaac. God hears Abraham’s request to recognize Ishmael, and He promises to bless him, too, but God makes it clear that Isaac, the son of Sarah, is the son of the Promise. It is to be through Isaac that God’s covenant promises are to be fulfilled. (See Gen. 17:18-21.) Stay tuned.
Ha, ha! You’re so right, John. Can you imagine it?!? There were so many servants in the household of Abraham, I can’t believe that not one ran away at the thought of circumcision as an adult male. (Maybe a few did!)
My take on this is the very great respect for and obedience to the patriarch of a family group in the culture of the time. They obeyed, even though some may have questioned it.
This kind of obedience can be compared to Abraham himself, however. When God told him to leave Ur, he did. When God told him to circumcise himself and his son and his household, he did. When God told him (spoiler alert!) to take his son up a mountain and sacrifice him, he (almost) did. No questions asked.
Wow. I’m awed and inspired by such immediate obedience and faith.